Angular support for a plug connector

ABSTRACT

An angular plug support having a socket part an angular support part having a first limb for receiving a contact-retaining insulator, and a second limb overlapping the socket part with a possibility of rotation relative thereto but without a possibility of an axial displacement relative thereto, and a locking device provided in a region of an overlapping of the socket part by the second limb for securing the angular support part in its selected rotational position with respect to the socket part and including a plurality of rigid flat surfaces provided on an outer periphery of the socket part or an inner periphery of the second limb, and a respective plurality of radially spring-biased surfaces provided at another of an outer periphery of the socket part and the inner periphery of the second limb.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to an angular plug support, especially forattachment to a unit housing, consisting of a socket part, which can besecured to the unit housing so that it remains fixed thereto and doesnot rotate, and an angular support, partially overlapping this socketpart with one of its limbs and connecting it rotatably but axiallyimmovably by means of a mutual positive engagement, for accommodating aninsulator holding the plug contacts, the socket part and the limb of theangular support, facing it, being equipped in the region, in which theymutually overlap, with a locking device, by means of which they can befixed mutually in a selectable position of rotation of the angularsupport.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Such an angular plug support, equipped with a locking device, is knownparticularly from the German Offenlegungsschrift 195 20 544, inaccordance with which in groove recesses equipped in the socket part andin the limb of the angular support, assigned to this socket part, withcircumferential projections, provided in the region of their mutualoverlapping, directed in opposite directions and forming a type ofdenticulation in their recess base, a connecting piece is disposed,which is constructed elastically in the radial direction, has an outlineshape deviating from the strictly circular along its inner and outerperiphery and interacts with projections in the recess base. At least inone realized form, the connecting piece can be formed by a corrugatedspring and, interacting with the projections in the recess base, enablesthe socket part and the angular support to be locked together in anumber of freely selectable swiveled positions. In the case of thisconstruction of the connection between the stationary socket part andthe angular support, which can be swiveled about its axis relative tothe stationary socket part, a single part, namely the corrugated spring,forms, on the one hand, the removal resistant connection between thesocket part and the support and, on the other, at the same time also thesurmountable, mutual protection against twisting or the locking of thesocket part and the support in a selected rotated position. In order tobe able to fulfill these two tasks as befits the connection between thesocket part and the support, on the one hand, a careful configuration ofthe corrugated spring and, on the other, a precise construction of atleast the groove recess having the stop marks or the radial projectionsforming such marks, is required. As a result, on the one hand, themanufacturing costs are relatively high and, on the other, the assemblyof the plug support is also appreciably more difficult.

Starting out from this state of the act, it is an object of theinvention to improve an angular plug support of the constructiondescribed above, so that, while the manufacturing costs are less and thenumber of lockable positions between the socket part and the support dojustice to practical requirements, it is sufficiently secured againstany unintentional adjustment of a set swiveling position by a slightcontact or also under the influence of vibrations unavoidable under theinfluence of machine units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This objective is accomplished pursuant to the invention for an angularplug carrier of the construction indicated above, owing to the fact thatthe locking device, provided in the region of mutual overlapping of thesocket part and the limb of the angular support, comprises from theouter periphery of the one part to the inner periphery of the otherpart, lying mutually opposite to one another, on the one hand at leasttwo rigid, flat surfaces and, on the other, a corresponding number ofradially adjustable, also flat surfaces, the flat surfaces beingdisposed in such a manner that, when the support is in a lockedposition, all surfaces are in mutual, two-dimensional contact with oneanother.

Accordingly, the invention is distinguished, on the one hand, by aseparation of the functions of an axial removal resistance and of alocking device for the surmountable mutual fixing of socket part andsupport and, on the other, simultaneously a limitation of the possible,locked swiveling positions to the number, which can actually be used inthe respective application case of the plug support, with theconsequence of a comparatively advantageous possibility formanufacturing the individual parts and a simplified assembly of the plugsupport. Moreover, the possibility exists in an advantageous manner ofadjusting the height of the spring load in such a way, that mutualrotation between the socket part and the support can still be broughtabout, admittedly, by hand, but preferably by means of a tool and, inany case, an unintentional, automatic change in the swiveling positionof the support relative to the socket part, under the influence ofunavoidable machine unit vibrations or also as a result of unintentionaltouching, such as can occur when handling machine devices orinstallations, for example, as stiffening contact or the like, isexcluded. In this connection, the inventive locking is distinguished asa result of the interaction of flat pairs of surfaces and, with that, asa result of a relatively high locking force.

With the inclusion of the disclosure of the obvious possibility of areversal of the arrangement of a rigid locking surface, supportedelastically in the radial direction, a preferred realization sees to itthat the locking device, disposed in the region of the overlapping ofthe one limb of the angular support with the socket part, has at leasttwo rigid and flat locking surfaces, which are constructed tangentiallyto its outer periphery and to which are assigned a corresponding numberof equally flat surfaces, which are disposed at the inner periphery ofthe limb of the support and can be moved radially against a spring load.

Admittedly, it is completely adequate for many applications, if theangular support can be locked with respect to the socket part only intwo positions rotated at an angle of 180° to one another. However, inthe interest of decreasing the type diversity and, with that, optimizinginventory, it may be of particular advantage if the angular support canbe locked in four the different positions with respect to the socketpart, especially in positions rotated in each case by 90° to oneanother. For this purpose and pursuant to a preferred realization,provisions are made so that the locking device has an even number,especially eight, of pairs of the flat surfaces, interacting with oneanother to produce a locking force, and constructed in a uniformarrangement. In an advantageous embodiment of this realization, it mayfurthermore be provided that all flat surfaces, constructed at the outerperiphery of the socket part and all flat surfaces constructed in theinner periphery of the limb of the support, have the same size, as aresult of which the manufacture of the parts involved is simplified.

In particular, in an advantageous further development of the preferredrealization, provisions are made so that the flat surfaces, which can bemoved radially against a spring load, are formed by leaf spring sectionsand, bridging radially directed, groove-shaped recesses, are disposed inthe part accommodating them, especially in the angular limb of thesupport. Insofar as the leaf spring sections in each case areconstructed as individual parts and, independently of one another, areinserted in the groove-shaped recesses, the groove-shaped recessesadvisably have supporting regions forming supporting surfaces for theside edges of the leaf spring sections on either side of and parallel totheir longitudinal extent.

In particular, in conjunction with the use leaf spring sections,constructed as individual parts and inserted independently of oneanother in the groove-shaped recesses, a further advantageous embodimentfor the realization of a locking arrangement between the socket part andthe support, which is characterized by the interaction of surface pairs,arises owing to the fact that, in the unloaded state, the leaf springsections, forming the flat surfaces, which can be moved radially againsta spring load, always have a pre-tension curvature facing the oppositesurface.

In order to achieve a simplification in the assembly for the swivelingpositions of the socket part and the support in a locking device havinga plurality of possible locking positions, provisions can be made inaccordance with a further embodiment so that the leaf spring sections,forming flat surfaces movable radially against the spring load, areconnected with one another by bridges to form a polyhedral ring body. Onthe one hand, this makes possible a simultaneous installation of allleaf springs, required for any number of locking positions and, on theother, an optimum support of the individual leaf spring sections at thepart of the angular plug support carrying them.

In a further advantageous embodiment, provisions can furthermore be madeso that the rigid, flat surfaces, formed at the external periphery ofthe socket part, and the intermediate surfaces, keeping them apart, areconstructed identical in size and together form the outline of a regularpolygon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in detain below with reference to twoembodiments which are shown in the drawings in which

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of an angular plug support,

FIG. 2 shows a section through the plug support of FIG. 1 along the lineII—II,

FIG. 3 shows a section through the plug support of FIG. 1 along the lineIII—III,

FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic representation of the socket part of a plugsupport of FIG. 1 and

FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic representation of a number of leaf springsections, connected with one another to form a polyhedral ring body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The means for attaching an angular support, comprising two limbs 1 and2, which are aligned at right angles to one another, to a unit, thedetails of which are not shown in the drawing, especially to an enginehousing, consist mainly of a socket part 5, which can be fixed in astationary and nonrotating manner to the unit housing by means of aflange 3 with at least four borehole recesses 4, which are assigned toscrew bolts, which are not shown in the drawing. The one limb 1 of theangular support is assigned to accommodate an insulator, the details ofwhich are not shown and which forms the fixture for holding thecontacting means of a plug. The angular region of the angular plugsupport has an installation opening, which is overlapped by the coveringhood 6 and intended for the electrical equipment. The covering hood 6 isconnected positively by means of axial protrusions 7 and at least onefastening screw 8 with the limb 2 of the support, facing the socket part5. The angular support is connected rotatably, but so that it cannot bepulled off, in the axial direction with the socket part 5 by means of acollar 9 of its limb 2 assigned to the socket part 5, the collar 9engaging a radial recess 81 of the socket part 5 and an O ring seal 11,inserted in a circumferential groove 10 disposed in the recesses 81,forming the mutual seal between the socket part 5 and the angular plugsupport. In the embodiment shown, the surmountable locking device forfixing the angular support in a selectable, swiveled position withrespect to the socket part 5, in the embodiment shown, comprises anumber of rigid and flat locking surfaces 12, constructed tangentiallyto the outer periphery of the recess 81 of the socket part 5 in theregion of the overlapping of the one limb 2 of the angular support withthe socket part S and, with that, in the region, on the one hand, of theradial recesses 81 of the socket part 5 and, on the other, in the regionof the corresponding, engaging collar 9 of the limb 2 assigned to thesocket part 5 and, furthermore, a corresponding number of likewise flatsurfaces, which are radially movable against a spring load, arepresented in the form of leaf spring sections 13 and disposed in theinner periphery of the engaging collar 9 of the limb 2 of the support.The embodiment, shown in the drawing, is distinguished pursuant to therepresentation of FIG. 2 by the use of a total of eight pairings, on theone hand, of rigid surfaces 12 and, on the other, of surfaces, which areformed by leaf spring sections 13 and can be shifted radially against aspring load, the pairings being in each case equal in size anddistributed uniformly over the periphery of the recessed region 8 of thesocket part 5. As can be seen particularly from FIG. 2, the leaf springsections 13, which form flat surfaces movable radially against a springload and are disposed to bridge radially directed, groove-shapedrecesses 14 in the inner periphery of the limb 2 of the support, aresupported over supporting surfaces 16 formed at the edges of thegroove-shaped recesses 14 with their side edges 15 on both sides alignedparallel to their longitudinal extent.

In the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the leaf springsections 13, forming surfaces movable radially against a spring load,have the same size and are provided in the unloaded state with acurvature facing the rigid opposite surfaces and are connected overbridges 17, 18 with a polygonal ring body, having the outline of aregular polygon. In a complementary matching configuration, the rigidflat surfaces 12, formed at the outer periphery of the socket part 5,and the spacer-like intermediate surfaces 19 are identical in size insuch a manner, that they, in their totality, form the outline of aregular polygonal.

What is claimed is:
 1. An angular plug support, comprising a socket partfor being fixedly secured to a unit housing; an angular support parthaving a first limb for receiving a contact-retaining insulator, and asecond limb overlapping the socket part with a possibility of rotationrelative thereto but without a possibility of an axial displacementrelative thereto; and locking means provided in a region of anoverlapping of the socket part by the second limb for securing theangular support part in a selected rotational position thereof withrespect to the socket part and for preventing disengagement of thesecond limb from the socket part, the locking means including aplurality of rigid flat surfaces provided on one of an outer peripheryof the socket part and an inner periphery of the second limb, and arespective plurality of radially spring-biased surfaces provided atanother of outer periphery of the socket part and the inner periphery ofthe second limb, the rigid flat surfaces and the radially springbiasedsurfaces substantially flatly abutting each other in a locking positionof the socket and angular support parts.
 2. An angular plug supportaccording to claim 1, wherein there are provided an even number of therigid flat surfaces and of the radially spring-biased surfaces.
 3. Anangular plug support according a claim 1, wherein the rigid flatsurfaces are provided on the outer periphery of the socket part,extending tangentially to the periphery, and the radially spring-biasedsurfaces are provided at the inner periphery of the second limb.
 4. Anangular plug support according to claim 3, wherein the rigid flatsurfaces and the radially spring-biased surfaces have the same size. 5.An angular plug support according to claim 3, wherein the regid flatsurfaces and intermediate surfaces provided between adjacent ridig flatsurgaces and having a same size as the rigid flat surfaces form aregular polygon in plan view.
 6. An angular plug support according toclaim 3, wherein the radially spring-biased surfaces are formed by leafspring sections which are located in radially extending grooves formedin the inner periphery of the second limb.
 7. An Angular plug supportaccording to claim 6, wherein the leaf spring sections are connectedwith each other by spaced bridging webs, forming a body having a regularpolygonal shape in plan view.